Paralegal 3 | Ecology Division | Olympia

State of Washington•Thurston County – Olympia, WA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Attorney General’s Office is recruiting for a permanent full time Paralegal 3 in the Ecology Division. This position is located in Olympia, Washington, and is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE). The Ecology Division of the Attorney General's Office is comprised of 30 attorneys and 12 professional staff. The division represents the Department of Ecology, Puget Sound Partnership, State Conservation Commission, Pollution Liability Insurance Agency, and the Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council. The division works to resolve environmental problems and disputes using a variety of legal tools, including negotiation, multi-party mediation and litigation, when necessary. Division attorneys provide advice on a broad spectrum of matters, including permitting, legislation, rulemaking, and enforcement. The division's practice includes hearings before administrative boards, as well as trials and appeals before state and federal courts. The work is interesting and varied and includes some high profile and long running cases. The ideal Paralegal 3 candidate would enjoy fast-paced work in a collegial team atmosphere.

Requirements

Combination of six years of experience through: Paralegal certification, Two-year paralegal degree, Paralegal plus (or nine-month paralegal, post BA) certification, and/or Paraprofessional experience in support of an attorney OR Two years’ experience as a Paralegal 2 in Washington State Service.
Examples of paraprofessional experience in support of an attorney: Preparing legal pleadings and legal correspondence, Ensuring and verifying timely and proper service of legal documents, Calculating, verifying, and calendaring critical events and other dates, Managing case documents, files and exhibits, Tracking and organizing discovery documents, Researching legal issues and verifying legal citations and references for accuracy.
A team oriented individual with strong critical thinking skills and a solutions-oriented focus and experience supervising and/or mentoring others.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with the Blue Book, Westlaw, Filevine, Everlaw, MS Office Suite, and Adobe Acrobat software is also desirable.
Strong project management skills, preferably within the Washington Public Records Act context.

Responsibilities

Leads a team of two paralegals that provide paralegal project support to the entire division.
Legal research and document drafting
Using Everlaw to manage document discovery for both simple and complex cases
Preparation of administrative records
Trial/hearing preparation and support
Assisting litigation paralegals with cite checking
Serves as the lead public records coordinator for the division, which includes: Screening incoming requests to forward to the division, Searching for responsive documents, Taking the lead on initial review for responsiveness and redactions, Coordinating with division staff to ensure accurate and timely production of responsive documents.
Serves the entire division so gets to interact with and support many facets of the division’s work.
Incumbent is part of the extended division management team (DMT+) and the professional staff supervisory team.
In cooperation with the administrative manager and the direct report, this position is responsible for preparing annual performance and development plans, and reviewing the performance of supervised employees, as well as making recommendations for awards and promotions.

Benefits

Medical/Dental/Vision for employees & dependent(s)
Vacation, Sick, and Other Leave
11 Paid Holidays per year
Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) plans
Life Insurance
Dependent Care Assistance
Flexible Spending Accounts
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Tuition Waiver
Deferred Compensation
Employee Recognition Leave
Flexible schedules
Part-time/hybrid telework options
A Wellness Program
An Infants in the Workplace Program
The Employee Assistance Program, which provides counseling, webinar, and other cost-free support resources
Numerous employee-driven affinity groups to foster community and connection, including Bereavement, Elder Care, Parenting, POC, LGBTQ+, Veterans and more.